Two-wheeled commuters are unlocking a new cycling season in Edmonton — with help from the city's annual Bike and Multi Sport Show.

Nearly 50 local bike shops and organizations traded ideas at a public symposium in the University of Alberta Butterdome over the weekend, finishing Sunday.

Cycling in a winter city used to be the domain of "the really, really fringe hardcore," said Peter Hockenhull, the bike show's director.

The advent of snow-savvy gear means summer cyclists are warming up to the idea of commuting by bike 12 months a year, he added.

"A trend that we're seeing now is somebody saying, 'I want one bike and I want it to do a whole bunch of things instead of being extremely good at one thing and useless at everything else,' " Hockenhull said.